Compton USD Celebrates API Month with Dr. Lal

Davis Middle School, Compton Unified School District (California), celebrated the Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month at their campus on May 15, 2009. Students, faculty, and community members enjoyed an inspirational message from Dr. Dhyan Lal, Superintendent of the neighboring Lynwood Unified School District. Dr. Lal is a former California Deputy Superintendent, High Principal at Jordan and Carson High Schools, and principal at Carnegie Middle School, among other positions. He spoke of his experiences as one of the only children of color in his school in Glendale, CA, and his struggles as an English as a Second Language student who came to the United States from his native Fiji. Dr. Lal is the author of the book, Island Boy, which chronicles his life, and love for his island home, yet also a yearning to become educated here in America.

Na Ali'i: Hawaiian Monarchs Dance Performance

Na Ali`i: Hawaiian Monarchs performed by The Kilohana Dance Company@ The John Anson Ford Theater Saturday, August 29, 2009

Showtime: 8:30 p.m.

Na Ali`i: The Hawaiian Monarchs The compelling saga of Hawaii's monarchs, from King Kamehameha to Queen Lili`uokalani, expressed in the eloquent gestures and mesmerizing patterns of hula is set to live music direct from the Islands.


TICKET information: The Ford Theater Box Office 2580 Cahuenga Blvd., East Hollywood, CA 90068via the web @ www.FordTheatres.org(323) 461-3673 Full Price: $35 Student/Child: $5 at the box office only Purchase using PayPal visit our website at http://www.kpcf.netFor general information:mjbenrahm@aol.com

Early buyer Incentive: Purchase by August 22nd and pay only $30
This event is part of the Target Dance

Visiting UC Irvine's Diversity Development Program

For the fourth year, NPIEN was invited to participate in the University of California Irvine's Diversity Development Program, facilitated by NPIEN Board Advisor Mr. Prany Sananikone. A long-time friend of NPIEN, Mr. Prany as he is known, ensures Pacific Islander representation in this ten week series for faculty, staff, and medical personnel. I presented a three hour workshop on Pacific Islander Americans: People, Culture, and Communication on February 4, 2009. Chancellor Drake was on hand for the May 20, 2009 Graduation Ceremony for the 40 plus participants in the program.

Hoover Middle School Cultural History Celebration

Hoover Middle School in the Long Beach Unified School District (CA) celebrated its annual Cultural History Celebration on May 21, 2009. This annual event culminates much hard work from the many Hoover students, witnessed by hundreds of family and community members. A sixth grade museum, 7th grade Middle Ages "Meet and Greet," and 8th grade "Wax Museum," featured students dressed in costumes from the ancient ruins, middle ages, and other time periods. There were plenty of projects and displays to choose from, and cultural dance performances from South Africa, Bollywood, Latin America, Scotland, and even American Hip Hop. There were several island dances, Tahitian by Tiffany Aurelio, Jasmine Barnum, Cynthia Pha, Sonyda Nep, Jashuna Scott, Michaela Reed, Kiana Rivas, Tiana Rivas, Kimberly Alvarado, and Caitlyn Masoe, and "Ua Mamalu" by Chelsee Sauni and Emma Utupo. NPIEN salutes Principal Mike Troyer and the Hoover Middle School students. Go Highlanders!

Running for Reading With ABC USD's Dr. Smuts

On Friday May 22, 2009, I started out on a running for reading trek from, appropriately for me, Aloha Elementary School in the ABC Unified School District (Cerritos, Lakewood, Artesia, CA). Dr. Gary Smuts, ABC Superintendent, organizes these rallies at his various schools, to promote reading among the district students. The goal for all of the schools is 1,000,000 reading hours, and to date, the students have amassed 800, 000 hours! I ran from Aloha to Furgeson to Hawaiian to Melbourne Elementary schools. Joining the running Ohana were Dr. Smuts, Mayor Gomez, Mayor Pro-Tem Victor Farfan, and City Manager Ernesto Marquez, plus ABC USD officials Tim Catlin and Bill Hundley. Also attending was Hawaiian Gardens City Councilwoman Michiko Oyama Canada. The children cheered as we arrived in each of their respective schools, and Dr. Smuts commended them for their commitment to read.

Uncle Henry and Linaka at Ohana Fundraiser

NPIEN held its third annual fundraiser at Ohana Hawaiian Barbecue in Lakewood, CA hosted by owner Jin Lee. Ukulele champion Uncle Henry Kamae entertained the crowd the entire four hours of the event, and NPIEN friends, family, and community members dropped by to enjoy music and da ono grinds (translation good food). Seen at the aloha scene were board members Falanai Ala, president, Rita Scanlan, Martha Gusukuma Donnenfield, Aileen Tanimoto Matsuura, and Eugene Mafi. Rynette Labostrie Barr of Lagniappe Accounting, and NPIEN accuontant made an impressive appearance with her family entourage. Chief of Staff Tino Andres distributed raffle tickets to the crowd, and there were plenty of giveaways. Lorraine Telles of Cokkie Lee, NPIEN Silver Level Sponsor, sold some of her beautiful jewelry and made a donation! Three of the Linaka Polynesian Dancers performed beautiful Hawaiian dances. Thanks to all who came and made this a successful event!

ACSA Event Attended by Dr. Dhyan Lal

On April 22, 2009, I attended the ACSA (Association of California School Administrators) Region 14 Administrator of the Year Awards Ceremony at the Grand Events Center in Long Beach, CA. I am the president-elect for ACSA next year. Current president Aaron Benton is the director of Special Education for the Redondo Beach Unified School District. This was a great hurrah for outgoing president Aaron. He has a Pacific Islander connection, as Aaron's wife is from the island of Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia, and he lived there for three years as a Peace Corps worker, and speaks the language. Aaron has been a super hero president, and super heroes was the ceremony theme. I was pleased to sit with colleague Ron Grider, Principal of Vista Continuation High School in the Lynwood Unified School District, Los Angeles County, and his superintendent Dr. Dhyan Lal. Dr. Lal, author of Island Boy, hails from Fiji. He is a renown school administrator throughout the State of California. Ron Grider won the Administrator of the Year Award for continuation high schools.

NPIEN President Ala at CAMS

NPIEN President Falanai Ala addressed 9th grade students at the California Academy of Math and Science (CAMS) Career Day on May 1, 2009. CAMS is one of the top 25 high schools in the nation, and one of the top schools in California. Ala discussed his career as an architect, and shared photographs of some of his projects that he has designed, including a Samoan church in Carson, CA that features a design of the traditional Samoan house, or fale. Ala encouraged the students to discover a career that they will enjot for a long time. He finds great satisfaction knowing that his designed projects will serve the community for years to come, and hopefully inspire a young person to choose his field. He remains one of the only architects of Samoan ancestry on the U.S. mainland.

API and Gambling

Hi,
I am working on a project to address problem gambling in Asian Pacific Islander communities in California. This issue has plagued our communities since our peoples first came to this country, and there does not seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel. More and more, casinos are taking an aggressive approach when it comes to advertising in our communities because they know that API’s have higher gambling rates than other groups. Not only that, the casinos are making it easier and more convenient for our communities: free transportation to casinos, free lunches, a few dollars to start off with, as well as casino employees who speak their languages.

Combine this with no real funding from the state of California for treatment and prevention, as well as very few resources for API’s to tap in to for treatment (such as in-language services), and we see the sorry state of how members of our community have it. Currently, I am collecting resources, videos, and stories that will all be available on a website that can be accessed by anyone in the community (to be released in a few months). The goal is to raise awareness of an issue that affects many of us in one way or another.

Where I am looking for help is with the collection of stories. I need help gathering stories regarding the issue of gambling to help portray a better image of where are community is at with this issue. They can be good…bad…whatever people want to share on the topic. There are no word limits and you do not have to be from California. Just please send whatever you want to mygamblingstory@gmail.com Everyone of whom I have talked to about this project has had some story close to the heart. These stories can be about a parent, uncle, aunt, friend, boyfriend, neighbor, etc. Problem gambling is not something you can easily see and point out. Tell us your story so we can start truly documenting what is happening in our communities. Any help would be great!

Thanks!

Scott Chan